Chapter Fourteen: But words are things, and a small drop of ink, Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.

As winter melted into spring, Margaret was growing increasingly bigger, her stomach housing the growing baby Pierce. Daisy was more and more active, and every day was an adventure. Daniel was up first everyday and collected Daisy, followed by Margaret, and Hawkeye would pull himself out of bed by 9am daily. He was spending more days at the hospital, which seemed to improve his mood on an ongoing basis.

He couldn't deny the tightness in his chest from the moment he arrived back in Maine, even more so during the first few months with Daisy in his life. Now married, a married man, with one baby, and another on its way, he felt less anxious standing in the OR, sitting on the end of a patient's bed, or working in the lab. It wasn't that he didn't love his life, because he loved Margaret and Daisy, he did, with everything he had. But he knew that he wasn't over Korea, wasn't over the horror he saw, the pain he caused. He understood that he had a mental disorder, and even constant letters to Sidney Freedman didn't help as much as it used to.

So here he was, sitting on the leather couch of one Dr. Alexander Cochran, Psychologist. A recommendation from Sidney, he knew that this was the only way to be healthy.

"So tell me Ben, how's Daisy?"

"Good, active," Hawkeye smiled. "She's talking more, actually pronouncing words. She loves blocks, and building things. Or making a mess." Laughing, he leaned back. "Yesterday, Margaret was taking a nap, and Daisy and I were playing with her Mr. Potatoe Head, this potatoe you put face pieces on, she loves it. So anyway, she's playing, and I'm reading my book, and she shrieks with joy. I look up, and Daisy had put the mouth, ears, eyes, and nose into her ball of silly putty. She was just howling with laughter."

"Sounds like she's growing up." Alex smiled. "And Margaret?"

"Getting bigger every day," he smiled. He loved watching his child grow inside her, as her belly became rounder each day.

"And how are you feeling about this baby?"

"I'm scared," he whispered. "I know I shouldn't be. There is nothing to be scared about. I have Daisy already, and she's happy and healthy."

"But you'll always feel like no matter much you step away from the war, you'll always feel like you'll break them?"

"Something like that," he confessed. "I'm scared I'll do something that'll break my children or my marriage." He could feel the tears in his eyes as he leaned his head back.

By the time he walked in the front door his mind was exhausted. He had walked around Portland for hours after leaving his therapy appointment. He watched the city move and thrive as school let out and kids filled the street, and his mind calmed down.

"Hi!" Daisy squealed upon seeing her father and bounded down the hallway. He s,lied and grabbed the charging toddler, scooping her up in his arms. "Where's mommy?"

"Nap," Daisy pointed to the living room.

"Where's grandpa?"

"Cinic," she told her father point blankly. "Just Daisy."

"Just Daisy," Hawkeye chuckled, as they walked into the living room, where Margaret was sleeping in the arm chair, her belly covering her lap. Daisy had her Lincoln logs all over the floor, as well as her alphabet blocks, and play dough. He shook his head as he placed her on the ground. "Time to clean up."

"No," Daisy sighed as she sat down in the midst of her toys.

"Yes. You can clean up." She was like her mother in her stubbornness, and he watched as she crossed her arms and pouted. "Now." She scoffed and started to move her her toys slowly. Hawkeye smiled and moved to the chair, squatting down he gently touched Margaret's arm. "Margaret?" Not responding right away he shook his head and reached for the Afghan, draping it over her. He looked over at Daisy who was angrily putting away her toys. He wanted to let Margaret sleep as ,u h as she could, knowing that she was struggling with sleep. With her pregnant belly making her insanely uncomfortable, and Daisy keeping both of them awake, she wasn't sleeping well.

"Done," Daisy declared as she crossed her arms.

"Good girl," he praised. "Now what do you say we go get ice cream and visit grandpa?" The little girl's face lit up as she nodded her head. He held out his hand as Daisy took a hold. He had to admit, despite all his fears and uncertainty with what his life held, he couldn't be happier with it.

The weeks passed quickly and the house became more on edge as Margaret edged closer to her due date. Daisy was helping as much as she could in Daisy fashion, which left Margaret to sigh more than receive any help. Despite the baby coming shortly they had decided to travel to Missouri for mid July. As only BJ had met Daisy, and with the new one now days away, it was either now or when the new baby was older.

"Margaret, do you need something?" Hawkeye asked as he felt his wife move and groan beside him in bed.

"No, just a contraction," she replied holding her stomach.

"Okay," he mumbled shoving his face back into his pillow. Margaret groaned as she tried to readjust herself on the bed. His eyes stayed close for a moment before they snapped open and he pushed himself to a sitting position. "How long?"

"Just started," Margaret replied as she groaned again. "But intense, and not far apart."

And with that Hawkeye crawled out of bed, not bothering with his robe dashed from the bedroom. She knew him, and when he returned with his medical bag that he was getting ready to check her and the baby before they made their way to the clinic.

"I think we're closer to having this baby than we thought," he replied as his hands moved to her stomach. It was hard as rock. "Clinic time. Unless you want to give birth in our bed," he winked as he helped her out of bed.

"Daisy?" Margaret asked as another contraction took a hold of her. Groaning she leaned into her husband and took his support as waited for the contraction to pass.

"I'll grab her and Dad," he replied. "Just take a deep breath."

"I've done this before Pierce," she groaned as the two walked out of the bedroom. His arm was wrapped around her waist as they moved slowly down the hallway. The summer heat was not helping tonight, as passing Daisy's bedroom caused the little girl to wake and was now standing in the doorway.

"Hi," she said sleepily as the parents stopped.

"I can walk," Margaret smiled softly as Hawkeye let go of her and opened his arms to the toddler.

"Mommy is going to have the baby," he explained as Daisy rested her head on her father's shoulder.

"Baby mommy?"

"That's right sweetheart," she smiled softly. The three moved downstairs slowly, as Daisy held onto her father tightly. Margaret breathed heavily as the contractions continued. Daisy was far less painful and was nearly not as quick. She knew this baby was coming quicker than she ever expected.

"Here give me Daisy," Daniel offered as the three made it to the landing. "I heard you moving around upstairs. How far along are we?"

"About 3 minutes apart," Margaret explained as she accepted her husband's arm around her waist. "Water hasn't broken yet."

Daniel nodded as he moved down the hallway. "Let's get to the clinic," he smiled. "What do you say Dais, should we get the baby out of Mommy?" The little girl nodded as she stared at her parents.

And on July 18, 1956 at 12:03am Laura Alice Pierce was born, head covered in black hair, and screaming as loud as her mother. And in that moment as Hawkeye held his new daughter for the first time, fear started to melt.